SEV Biblia, Chapter 32:4
el cual los tomó de las manos de ellos, y lo formó con buril, e hizo de ello un becerro de fundición. Entonces dijeron: Israel, estos son tus dioses, que te sacaron de la tierra de Egipto.
Clarke's Bible Commentary - Exodus 32:4
Verse 4. Fashioned it with a graving tool] There has been much controversy about the meaning of the word frj cheret in the text: some make it a mould, others a garment, cloth, or apron; some a purse or bag, and others a graver. It is likely that some mould was made on this occasion, that the gold when fused was cast into it, and that afterwards it was brought into form and symmetry by the action of the chisel and graver. These be thy gods, O Israel] The whole of this is a most strange and unaccountable transaction. Was it possible that the people could have so soon lost sight of the wonderful manifestations of God upon the mount? Was it possible that Aaron could have imagined that he could make any god that could help them? And yet it does not appear that he ever remonstrated with the people! Possibly he only intended to make them some symbolical representation of the Divine power and energy, that might be as evident to them as the pillar of cloud and fire had been, and to which God might attach an always present energy and influence; or in requiring them to sacrifice their ornaments, he might have supposed they would have desisted from urging their request: but all this is mere conjecture, with very little probability to support it. It must however be granted that Aaron does not appear to have even designed a worship that should supersede the worship of THE Most High; hence we find him making proclamation, To- morrow is a feast to the LORD, ( hwhy ;) and we find farther that some of the proper rites of the true worship were observed on this occasion, for they brought burnt-offerings and peace-offerings, ver. 6, 7: hence it is evident he intended that the true God should be the object of their worship, though he permitted and even encouraged them to offer this worship through an idolatrous medium, the molten calf. It has been supposed that this was an exact resemblance of the famous Egyptian god Apis who was worshipped under the form of an ox, which worship the Israelites no doubt saw often practiced in Egypt.
Some however think that this worship of Apis was not then established; but we have already had sufficient proof that different animals were sacred among the Egyptians, nor have we any account of any worship in Egypt earlier than that offered to Apis, under the figure of an OX.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 1-6 - While Moses was in the mount, receiving the law from God, the people made a tumultuous address to Aaron. This giddy multitude were weary of waiting for the return of Moses. Weariness in waiting betrays to man temptations. The Lord must be waited for till he comes, and waited for though he tarry. Let their readiness to part with their ear-rings to make an idol, shame our niggardliness in the service of the true God They did not draw back on account of the cost of their idolatry; an shall we grudge the expenses of religion? Aaron produced the shape of an ox or calf, giving it some finish with a graving tool. They offere sacrifice to this idol. Having set up an image before them, and s changed the truth of God into a lie, their sacrifices were abomination Had they not, only a few days before, in this very place, heard the voice of the Lord God speaking to them out of the midst of the fire Thou shalt not make to thyself any graven image? Had they no themselves solemnly entered into covenant with God, that they would d all he had said to them, and would be obedient? ch. 24:7. Yet befor they stirred from the place where this covenant had been solemnly made they brake an express command, in defiance of an express threatening It plainly shows, that the law was no more able to make holy, than it was to justify; by it is the knowledge of sin, but not the cure of sin Aaron was set apart by the Divine appointment to the office of the priesthood; but he, who had once shamed himself so far as to build a altar to a golden calf, must own himself unworthy of the honour of attending at the altar of God, and indebted to free grace alone for it Thus pride and boasting were silenced.
Original Hebrew
ויקח 3947 מידם 3027 ויצר 3335 אתו 853 בחרט 2747 ויעשׂהו 6213 עגל 5695 מסכה 4541 ויאמרו 559 אלה 428 אלהיך 430 ישׂראל 3478 אשׁר 834 העלוך 5927 מארץ 776 מצרים׃ 4714
